A Way Back to You
by itaitach4n
Summary: Sasuke tries to live the life that he thinks Itachi wanted for him. But, after a loveless marriage and a child, Sasuke realizes he cannot live this false life anymore. Sasuke travels back in time to change his future by protecting Itachi from the pain he is about to endure. SASUITA
1. Chapter 1

After everything had settle and the war was over, Sasuke had been pardoned.

Tsunade had recently stepped down from her position of Hokage, and Kakashi had taken her place. There were qualms on what they should do about the rogue ninja, Uchiha Sasuke. Many people continued to see Sasuke as a rogue and deserved to serve jail time, or even be sentenced to death.

And those people had a point.

Sasuke had attacked the Hokage Summit, killed the elder, Danzo and had pretty much started this war. Not even counting all the people Sasuke had killed and all the destruction he had caused in his three years since he had actually left the village.

In fact, most of the village was calling for Sasuke's banishment. Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi were the exception.

Naruto didn't see a traitor who attacked him, and his teammates. He saw the sad, lonely boy that he watched from afar as a kid. He saw his biggest rival, and closest friend.

Kakashi didn't see a failed student. But he saw how much he had failed Sasuke. He gave Sasuke the tools that led to the death of so many. He thought that if he trained Sasuke in advanced style jutsus, such as chidori, Sasuke would feel more confident in defeating Itachi, thus making calming the storm of desire to kill. But, it did nothing. Kakashi had done nothing.

Sakura didn't see a man who tried to kill her a handful of times. She saw the man that she loved. And, it was empty, petty love. She knew she didn't know a damn thing about Sasuke, but she couldn't help but want him.

So the three converged to discuss the future of Uchiha Sasuke. The conversation was short. Sasuke would stay. Sasuke would need an escort anywhere he went. Sasuke would be required to check in periodically. Sasuke would not be allowed to train in any advanced jutsus.

Kakashi then brought Sasuke into his office to announce their decision. Upon hearing the conditions to Sasuke's stay, Naruto and Sakura half expected Sasuke to interrupt or argue. But, he sat quietly, head slightly down and nodded here and there.

These terms were nothing Sasuke would agree to, normally. But, he wanted to be here because this is what Itachi wanted for him. When Sasuke was bleeding out next to Naruto, a part of him wished he would just die. Then he would be with Itachi. He would finally be happy. He had completely given up. That's when Sakura had appeared and began to heal him. Sasuke wanted to protest, he wanted to cry and tell Sakura to stop. But, for some reason, he knew that Itachi didn't want him to die here. Itachi wanted nothing more than for Sasuke to live a normal life in the place that Itachi loved almost as much as Sasuke, Konoha.

So, he nodded and agreed to the loss of his freedom.

The first week into his conditions was awkward. The people of Konoha rejected Sasuke, which was something Sasuke was not use to. He was viewed as the last Uchiha. A poor boy with an awful brother. And everyone respected and pitied him. But, now… People ignored him, or were just plain rude to him. And Sasuke took it. He took their anger and rage with a blank face. No matter how harsh their words were, nothing compared to the horrible things they use to say about his brother.

The villagers hatred had shifted from Itachi to Sasuke. Sasuke wanted nothing more than to completely clear his brother's name. But, Naruto reminded him that that was not what Itachi would want. And Sasuke wanted to make Itachi happy. So he said nothing. The Uchiha name was successfully turned to mud.

Sakura had taken it upon herself to be Sasuke's escort. Whenever Sasuke wanted to leave his home, he was required to notify Sakura by bird, and she would come over and then he could leave. It was a massive pain. And because of this, Sasuke stayed at home a lot. For the first week, Sasuke left his home only three times. And every time it was awful. Sakura's obnoxious small talk and subtle flirting got old very fast. But, Sasuke was polite and would indulge in Sakura's small talk. And even when Sasuke stayed hidden away in his home, Sakura would visit, daily, and sit awkwardly on his couch and talk about anything that would pop into her head.

After a month of hiding out in his home, unless he absolutely had to leave, Sasuke began to get stir crazy. Every day was the same. He grew bored. Everyday Sakura would pester him, Naruto would check in on him, and some days he was forced to appear before Kakashi. He was annoyed with it. Thats when Sasuke realized that within his month of hiding from the village, he had gotten slow. He could tell that he wasn't as quick and talent as he had once been. For some reason this bothered him.

It was late fall when Naruto visited. Sasuke didn't even bothering answering the knock at his door. Whoever it was, was going to let themselves like they always did. After a moment, Naruto entered the living room, where Sasuke was seated on the floor, sipping tea.

"Hello, Sasuke." Naruto said mildly, taking a seat next to Sasuke.

Sasuke didn't look at Naruto, but nodded to acknowledge him. For a while, the two sat in silence. Naruto helped himself to some tea, and Sasuke appreciated Naruto's lack of talking. It was unusual though. After a moment, Naruto shifted uncomfortably.

"You seem off…" Naruto said suddenly.

Sasuke glared at Naruto.

"Off? Oh, like I haven't lost everyone who was important to me? Like the village doesn't hate me? Like I know I have slipped in my skills? How am I suppose to act, Naruto?" Sasuke snapped.

Naruto nodded.

"Itachi would be proud of you."

"Don't speak his name."

Naruto sipped his tea.

"Is there anything that I can do that would help you out of this funk?"

Sasuke shook his head. Nothing Naruto would approve of.

"Come on, Sasuke. There must be something?"

"Let me leave."

Naruto blinked.

"Leave? As in your home?"

Sasuke put down his cup and turned towards Naruto.

"I need to travel, I need to see this world that Itachi fought so hard to protect the village from. I need to understand…" Sasuke felt tears sting his eyes, but bit them back.

Naruto looked uncomfortable.

"You know the conditions of your stay…" Naruto began.

Sasuke abruptly turned away, glaring out his window, watching leaves fall from the oak tree just outside. Naruto looked at his old friend. They hadn't really spoken since the war ended. Sasuke hid in his home and whenever Naruto visited, he did most of the talking. He couldn't understand how Sasuke felt. But he knew it was painful. Sasuke looked as though he was on the verge of crying every single time he saw him. He knew that Sasuke took the scorn of the village as a punishment that he deserved. There was something about witnessing the once most popular man in the village, be feared and hated. Just like he had once been.

"I can talk to Kakashi."

Kakashi stood next to Sakura and Naruto as Sasuke appeared before them. They all had uneasy looks on their face, but it had been agreed that Sasuke would be allowed to travel for six months. If Sasuke did not return before six months were up, then the ANBU was allowed to track him down and kill him. Sasuke could hardly contain his excitement when Naruto visited him a few days later with the news. He packed a bag and was ready within an hour.

Sakura clutched her hands together, nervously biting her lip. She was afraid that Sasuke would run. That he would leave her again. She couldn't let that happen, but had no words to say to the man that she yearned for so.

Naruto was satisfied with letting Sasuke go. Sasuke's attitude improved drastically and he just wanted his friend's happiness. Plus, Sasuke's time away from the village would give Naruto time to convince the village to accept him.

Kakashi was apprehensive about letting Sasuke go. He knew that Sasuke was a flight risk, and there was a good chance that in six months, Sasuke would return to the village in a body bag. But, he knew how much it meant to both Naruto and Sasuke, and wanted to please them.

"Six months." Kakashi said firmly.

Sasuke nodded, turning away, giving a small wave as he started towards the village entrance.

Sakura stood there, trembling. He was leaving. He was actually leaving. After a moment, she bounded towards him, calling out his name.

"Sasuke-kun, please!" Sakura pleaded, wrapping her arms around his torso.

Sasuke stopped, letting Sakura bury her head into his chest and sob.

"Please… Take me with you!"

Sasuke couldn't help but roll his eyes. When would she learn that he didn't care for her. He would be perfectly happy if she dropped off the face of the Earth. In fact, he had wished that one of his attempts on her life had been successful. But, he felt as though Itachi would want him to be kind. To not shut her out. So he gently pulled her off of him and smiled.

"I'll be back."

She stared up at him with large, tear filled eyes and Sasuke saw his younger self, staring up at his brother with those same kind of eyes. Sasuke was taken aback and did the only thing he could think of, he poked her forehead. Sakura's eyes widened and a blush flooded her cheeks. Something that he was sure happened when Itachi did it to him. He felt flustered and pulled away quickly, leaving a blinking, blushing Sakura in his wake.


	2. Chapter 2

SO, before I address my story, I wanted to address this review that I got on my story that read as follows ":Sasuke loves Sakura and i*** is disgusting. Your pathetic crack pairing only exists in your disgusting f*** up head." Now, I think this is really special. I have never had someone leave a review like this before, and to be honest I literally LOL'd. I am so glad that this person, who left this review as a guest, went out of their way to search the Sasuke, Itachi tag and read my story, then felt compelled enough to leave me this review. I will honestly take this as a compliment. To you, mysterious guest, if this couple is so nasty, why look up the fanfic? I am not a fan of Sakura, nor the pairing sasusaku. But, everyone has the right to like whatever they want. So, kudos for your couple bing "cannon". Obviously, you don't know what fanfic is, because it doesn't matter that sasuita isn't cannon, it's still beautiful and I can write about it. So, please, continue to search me, and other itasasu/sasuita stories out and leave these kind of hilarious comments. HAHAHAHAHA. Go read sasusaku fanfic since your such a fan!

Anyway, this is slow to start out. But, I promise, next chapter, things will be better! 3

* * *

Once Sasuke was outside the village, let let out a big sigh. He was free. He was practically shaking when he climbed the mountain looming before the village and looked down on it. He knew that his life there would be empty, would be unfulfilled, but he deserved misery. He deserved to live everyday in sorrow, because this is how Itachi lived. And, this is how he would honor his brother.

Sasuke traveled far and wide, training when he could, but mostly immersing himself in the different cultures. He had traveled a lot before, but had never bothered to spend time in one place for very long. He ate many weird things, and met many strange people. Learning what he could, before moving on to somewhere new. Though Sasuke saw so much good, he also saw bad. He saw men and women who would try to kill you for the money you had. Politics were corrupt and he saw families fall apart. He never addressed these things personally. He watched from afar as a woman was murdered in the forest so that bandits could take her money. He watched greedy politicians lie to justify wars to their people. He watched a mother tell her son that his father was dead. Sasuke saw the awful side of everything.

Six months past, and Sasuke returned, feet feeling like boulders as he neared the entrance. He had just come into view of the entrance when he saw the familiar pink hair of Sakura. He rolled his eyes, already feeling exhausted. Sakura spotted him and raced towards him.

"Oh, Sasuke-kun! I missed you!" She cried, face as pink as her hair.

Sasuke had forgotten about the poke to her forward, but the memory rushed back to him and he shifted awkwardly under her gaze. Itachi had once talked about how he wanted Sasuke to be a father, just so that Itachi could be an uncle. Sasuke had asked why Itachi didn't want to just be a father. Itachi smiled sadly, shaking his head and explaining that that was not his duty. Now, Sasuke knew that Itachi belonged to the village, and that was not what the village wanted from him. Sasuke felt rage flare in his stomach at the idea that his brother had no say in what happened to him.

As he looked at Sakura, he knew, sadly, what his fate would be. Just like his brother, he wouldn't have a say. To honor his wishes, Sasuke would have to give into this obnoxious woman's desire.

They dated very briefly. If you can even call it dating. Sasuke took her to dinner, but could never think of anything to say. Sakura was too amazed that this was actually happening to notice Sasuke's total lack of interest.

They kissed. Sasuke had kissed before. But, when Sakura reached up to plant her soft lips on his chapped ones, he felt like a kid. He froze and let her slide her tongue into his trembling mouth. Everytime she pulled away, Sasuke felt a shudder of disgust shake him. She would smile, grab his hand and plant a kiss on it.

Sakura had also started to poke his forehead. The first time she did it, Sasuke nearly lost his shit. They were drinking tea at her apartment when she leaned over the table, pressing her middle and pointer finger gently to his forehead. He pulled back quickly, glaring at her, a blush brightly across his cheeks.

"Just like what you did the day you left!" She said, smiling wide.

She poked herself in the forehead.

"This can be our thing!"

Sasuke felt sick. He wanted to stand up and leave, but not before throwing his hot tea in her face. But, he said nothing and smiled back.

Sasuke knew that in order to achieve a life that Itachi wanted for him, he would have to eventually marry Sakura. He didn't know how to ask though. He didn't even want to ask. Recently, both Sasuke and Sakura had attended Naruto's wedding to Hinata. Sakura hung all over Sasuke, cooing and pouting about how lucky Hinata was to be getting married. Sasuke knew that she wanted him to ask, and he couldn't care less. He planned to ask. One day. But, much to his surprise, she asked him. Sasuke, flustered, stuttered out a yes and Sakura flung herself on him, stuffing her tongue in his mouth.

Their marriage came quickly. Sakura took it upon herself to plan the entire thing. Sasuke was slightly relieved. If he wasn't helping her plan, then he didn't have to think about it. But, before he knew it, he was standing at the altar, agreeing to marry the woman who had cause him nothing but headaches.

The wedding night was just as disastrous as he thought. Sasuke was a virgin, and completely clueless in the bedroom. He wasn't so sure that Sakura was one by her aggressiveness in undressing both herself and him. Once they stood naked, Sakura proceeded to tell Sasuke how "sexy" and "hot" he was. Sasuke could only stand there, blushing out of uncomfortableness. Finally, she pulled him to the bed, kissing his shoulder as they walked. She laid down, trying to pull Sasuke on top of her. But, Sasuke stood planted where he was. Suddenly Sakura realized Sasuke's hesitation.

"Sasuke-kun, are you a virgin?"

Sasuke blushed. He hated how easily she could tell. And he hated the idea that she was the one to take it away from him.

Sakura smirked and let out a little laugh.

"I thought for sure… Well, lucky me."

Sasuke only spent one night with Sakura. But, it was enough to get her pregnant. She announced her pregnancy two weeks later. Sasuke couldn't hide the shock that appeared on his face. Sakura hugged him tightly.

Before he knew it, Sasuke was holding a baby girl in his arms. He stared down at her, trying to make himself happy. Trying to think of Itachi holding her and smiling. But, he only say a ball and chain. This baby, though he did care for her, made him feel even more trapped in this unhappy life. He couldn't help but to resent her.

Salada was a year old, and smiled brightly whenever her father was around. Sasuke did love her, but her love for him made him feel uncomfortable. He felt almost guilty for holding resentment towards her. Sakura had announced that she was finished being a ninja and a medical nin, like she had trained to be. She instead bothered Sasuke every moment of everyday. Her, and Salada. Sasuke felt as though he was drowning in their affection. It was unrelenting, and he couldn't take it.

* * *

He appeared before Naruto on a crisp winter day. Naruto had recently become Hokage and had changed in both appearance and attitude. He was calm and calculating, very unlike his former self. He was also massive. Strong, muscular arms that folded across his torso once Sasuke entered his room.

"Why have you called this meeting, Sasuke?" Naruto asked, passively.

Sasuke was caught off guard by Naruto's demeanor, and fumbled his words.

"I would like permission to leave. To travel." Sasuke said flatly.

Naruto eyed Sasuke for a moment. Before the war had ended, Naruto claimed that Sasuke was his best friend. But, since Naruto had married and had a child of his own, he hardly spoke to Sasuke. This angered Sasuke because it was Naruto who had helped convince him that by staying, he was honoring Itachi.

"And the reasons?"

Sasuke sighed.

"I need to do some thinking."

Naruto looked unimpressed.

"I need some private time to think about Itachi…"

At the mention of Itachi's name, Naruto's gaze softened. Naruto had a soft spot for his older brother, and it was evident by the way he smiled. Naruto smiled, closing his eyes.

"Six months."

* * *

"But, why are you leaving? Now? We have a baby, Sasuke-kun…" Sakura said, hands on her hips, somewhat blocking Sasuke's way.

Sasuke carefully pushed past her, picking up his daughter. He felt uncomfortable holding her, but give her a quick kiss on her forehead before placing her back in her crib.

"I need to do this."

"Why?"

Sasuke felt his blood begin to boil. Why did Sakura have to be so nosy. He looked at her, with anger, and was surprised to see anger in her eyes.

"Why haven't we been together since the wedding?" She said finally, breaking the silence.

Sasuke growled, and pushed past her, grabbing his backpack as he made his way towards the front door.

"Why won't you touch me?" Sakura shrieked, causing Salada to cry out.

Sasuke didn't want to acknowledge her. He just needed some time away. He needed to breathe.

"Is it Itachi?"

Sasuke froze, turning to look at her, pure astonishment on his face.

Sakura crossed her arms, lowering her gaze.

"I hear you call out his name sometimes in your sleep." She said.

Sasuke was unmoving, just staring at Sakura. He didn't know what to say. He had never spoken the truth about Itachi to her, no matter how badly he had wanted to say something to someone.

"He's dead, Sasuke, he can't hurt you anymore."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed and he opened his mouth, about to tell her the truth. But, he stopped. And shook his head.

"I just need time to myself."


	3. Chapter 3

OKAY. Sorry, this took so long! I am making a real effort to finish this, and not make it so long. ENJOY.

* * *

Sakura stood still, her mind void of anything. All she could do was stare as the man she thought she loved hugged and kissed their daughter awkwardly goodbye. She grimaced, and pushed away all the unhappiness she felt.

"Let me walk you to the gate."

* * *

Sakura was unhappy. She had been unhappy since their wedding night. It wasn't fair. It just wasn't fair. She had love Sasuke. LOVED HIM. But, it was obvious that he did not care for her. The night they made their daughter, she could see how awkward and hesitant Sasuke was. How uncomfortable he was with her. She hated it. But, she had won. For as long as she could remember, her goal was to have Sasuke. She ruined friendships with Ino, ignored her own development, risked her life so that one day she could call him hers. And now that she had him, there was no way that she was going to give him up, no matter how unhappy and miserable she was.

She held his hand as they walked, cold and clammy, like always. Sasuke was silent as they walked. And for the first time in a while, so was Sakura. She didn't want Sasuke to leave. She was too afraid that he would never come back. Salada acted as a good way to anchor Sasuke to her and the village, but Sakura could tell that Sasuke was antsy and Salada had lost her purpose in keeping her father around. Sakura knew that Itachi was a factor in Sasuke's unhappiness. Damn, she hated that man. He was the reason Sasuke couldn't let down his walls and love her.

Before she knew it, they were at the gates. Sasuke gently pulled his hand away from her, and stared down at her. Sakura smiled the biggest smile she could fake.

"Please, be careful." She said.

Sasuke nodded.

Sakura reached up, linking her arm around the back of Sasuke's neck and kissed him on the lips. It was rather forward, for Sakura had not kissed Sasuke on the lips since the night they spent together in bed. Sakura was struck immediately by an explosion that radiated from her lips, all the way through her body. This. This is what she wanted.

Sasuke was stunned at Sakura's forwardness, but allowed the kiss to play out. Once Sakura pulled away, Sasuke noted the blush that rested on her cheeks.

"Goodbye." Sasuke said dryly, turning and waving to Sakura as he walked.

* * *

Once outside the village, Sasuke knew he would never return. The village, his marriage his so-called best friend, were nothing to him. He couldn't stand another minute pretending like everything was okay. Like he didn't want to make the village pay for using his brother. He knew that it wouldn't be long before he snapped, so to protect himself, he had to leave.

As Sasuke walked he thought only of Itachi. He apologized for not being able to be the man Itachi wanted. He apologized for not being able to live the life that Itachi wanted for him. Soon his apologies turned to pleas. Please come back. Please help me. Sasuke's misery only grew.

Sasuke thought about suicide. This was new. He had never thought about it, but the idea of stopping the pain and finally being with Itachi was so appealing that he pulled a kunai out and held it to his wrist. It only took Sasuke a moment to realize he couldn't do it. He couldn't face Itachi after he had killed himself. And the more he thought about it, the angrier he became. Why should he be made to feel this way because the village damned his brother? Itachi deserved to be alive. He deserved to be here, with him. Sasuke wanted nothing more than to bring his brother back to him.

Then it hit him.

He needed to clear Itachi's name. He knew he couldn't betray Itachi's trust by outing him at the village. Itachi wanted to die a sinner, not a saint. But, maybe there was a way that Sasuke could prevent Itachi from being a sinner. Sasuke closed his eyes, imagining a world where his parents and family was still alive. His brother would be there, smiling. He wouldn't have been forced into a loveless marriage. It felt so right.

Sasuke knew that Orochimaru had dabbled in time travel. Obviously, Orochimaru had never succeeded in it, but he had scrolls and books on that sort of thing. Sasuke could think of three hideouts where he had noticed scrolls of that nature. Perhaps there was a way that Sasuke could make these jutsus work. Maybe he could travel back in time, and prevent the coup from forming. Prevent Itachi from being picked to sacrifice. The idea of it all made Sasuke tremble.

* * *

He had ventured far into the mountains. The last place he had seen Orochimaru with one of these time scrolls was in this hideout. Fortunately, this hideout had not been burned down, or gutted. It stood, hidden in the snow, just as large and intact as it had been when Sasuke had stayed there.

Once he was inside, it all flooded back to him. The hate he felt towards his brother, the fear of not being strong enough, the desire to train with Orochimaru every moment of every day. Sasuke was silent as he searched the library. He was able to find a few scrolls that he thought might help, and pulled them aside. He opened them and was both amused and stunned. No wonder Orochimaru couldn't pull this off. It required massive amounts of chakra along with three human sacrifices. Now, the sacrifices wasn't anything orochimaru couldn't handle. But, the chakra was the issue. Orochimaru was strong, indeed, but unfortunately age had played a part in the reason why Orochimaru could not achieve this jutsu. In fact,if Itachi had not blessed Sasuke with his eyes, Sasuke wouldn't be able to do it. Sasuke was unsure if it would work. He would have to store chakra for a few days before even attempting it. But, the idea that he might see his brother and family again drove him into a nearby village where he murdered three men in the dead of night.

Sasuke hadn't killed anyone since the war. It was refreshing and exciting. He didn't realize his own bloodlust until he had killed again. He stored the bodies, and after three days of charging his chakra, arranged the bodies according to the scroll. He mixed their blood, then dragged the blood around the floor making shapes and connecting all three with blood. Then, he sliced his own finger, letting the blood drip over the designs he had drawn. He allowed the stored chakra to flood his body as he carefully made the hand signs. There were seven. His hands trembled as the preformed each symbol until finally he reached the seventh one and felt his body fly forward. He slammed against something hard. The world had gone black and Sasuke desperately tried to see anything. Again, his body flew in a different direction before he slammed against something hard and invisible. This time, Sasuke's head hit and he felt the fuzziness overcome him. He let out a yelp as he succumbed to unconsciousness.


	4. Chapter 4

WELLLLLLLL, sorry that this took so long! I have been trying to finish all the stories that I have going on currently, but every time I sit down to work on one, I think of a new story that I want to do! UGH.

Just a little heads-up, the new character in this chapter is by no means a main. I have struggled with the idea of creating this character and wasn't sure how I wanted to do it, but I am okay with them and hope that no one is bothered by them. I do not intend to continue with them after this chapter, and maybe a few bit parts later on. :) ENJOY.

* * *

When Sasuke came to, he did not recognize where he was. He was laying in some dense grass, surrounded by foliage. The trees overhead were heavy with fruit and hung low to the earth. Sasuke was still as his body began to wake. He let his eyes wander the wonderfully colorful world around him, seemingly untouched by man. Eventually, Sasuke pulled his arms to his side and pushed his weakened body to a seated position. Once he was seated he noticed a creek nearby, running so silently that without seeing it he wouldn't have known it was there. Sasuke slowly realized that he was near a training facility not far from the village. He turned toward the direction he thought the village was, but everything was so lush, he couldn't see much beyond the brush and trees right in front of him.

Excitement caused Sasuke's heart to skip a beat. Had it worked? Could he be where he had so longed to be? He tried to get to his feet, but fell back to the earth after moments on his shaky legs. He tried to calm himself. He had time. He just needed to breathe. Suddenly a voice boomed from behind him, causing Sasuke to jump and scramble into the nearest bush.

Sasuke held his breath, trying to figure out the sound that he had heard. It slowly occurred to him that he had jumped and hid like a frightened genin. He cursed to himself and started to pull himself out of the bush when he immediately sensed a massive chakra source advancing upon him. Sasuke pushed himself back into the bush. He knew that in his weakened, chakra-strained state.

A woman stomped into the thicket, hands placed upon her hips. She had messy blue curls, partially pinned back with a silver barrette. SHe wore a tight, matching silver dress, that clung to her plump body, exposing lumps and bumps. Her eyes were a milky white and appeared almost unseeing. But, the moment she stomped into the thicket, her eyes met Sasuke's hidden in the bush.

"You better come out, Orochimaru. Or so help me!" She shrieked.

Sasuke was now confused. Orochimaru? How did this person know Orochimaru? After a moment, Sasuke pulled himself from the brush and watched as a delighted smile formed on the woman's face.

"Oh! You're not Orochimaru." She cooed, sticking a hip out and smirking.

Sasuke shook his head. A moment passed before the woman finally laughed and crossed her arms.

"Well, Orochimaru was so persistent, and I hadn't seen him in a long time, I figured you were him. But, I was, happily, mistaken. My name is Azuna." She stuck her hand out, as if asking for Sasuke to kiss it.

Feeling awkward and nervous, Sasuke grabbed her large hand and placed a small kiss on it, causing Azuna to squeal in delight.

"My name is Uchiha Sasuke." Sasuke finally said.

The name did not seem to affect Azuna at all, she was still smiling flirtatiously at Sasuke. Sasuke was beginning to wonder what the hell was going on. He glanced around, taking in the dense foliage around them. He felt as though he knew where he was. But, at the same time, it looked as though they stood somewhere that people hadn't touched. Finally Azuna laughed, allowing her feet to graciously hover above the earth. She floated around Sasuke, taking in his strapping figure and smirking seductively.

"You have no idea what is going on here, do you?" She asked after a moment.

Sasuke shook his head, feeling his cheeks radiate with embarrassment. Azuna laughed out loud, letting her body float higher off the ground until she was hovering at Sasuke's head level.

"I am known as Azuna of Time. I control time. When you performed the jutsu, you summoned me. Well, rather I was able to summon you here."

"Where is here?" Sasuke asked.

"Outside of Konoha." Azuna asked matter-of-factly.

"But, it seems as though…"

"No one has been here before? That's because we are here before the village ever was."

Sasuke's face twisted into a confused stare. Azuna laughed and ugly, heavy laugh.

"I told you I control time. I prefer to live in the past, before you obnoxious humans were around. Much quieter."

Sasuke was slightly stunned. He was in the past. This placed seemed vaguely familiar because it was a place that he had spent much of his time while he lived in the village. But, because it was before the village had formed, it was almost unrecognizable because of the foliage and growth.

"How did I get here?" Sasuke stuttered.

"Well, once someone finds my scroll and performs what it asks, I am sort of notified. Meaning, I sense that someone is asking for me. Since I control time, I bring whomever it is to me. And that is usually here, in the past."

Sasuke's heart was pounding, it had worked. He had made the jutsu worked. He could save Itachi now.

"But, you aren't here for me." Azuna said darkly.

"You're here because you want to travel back to a moment in your life and change something. And it must be something that is very important to you, since you were willing to kill for it." Azuna said with a smirk.

Sasuke stared blankly at her. She didn't know how many lives he was willing to take for his brother.

"So, tell me… Why were you willing to kill?"

Sasuke took a shaky breath.

"If I tell you, will you take me back?"

Azuna laughed and nodded.

"That's how this works, you know."

Sasuke nodded, lowering his eyes.

"I want to save my brother."

Azuna suddenly looked interested.

"He gave his life for me, and for this… this village. He is the most hated and disgraced man in this village… Not counting myself. He lived a life of pain and disgrace… And I am of three people in the village that know the truth. Without him, none of those people would be alive… I need to save him. I need to prove to the village that he is not evil…"

Azuna smiled sincerely.

"Wow, Uchiha Sasuke. That is a selfless wish… And if that is the reason you wish to travel back in time, I would be more than happy to help. But, you see… I am Azuna of Time. My job is to protect the past, the present and the future. Many people who come to me desire more selfish things. And because of that, I turn them away. Orochimaru wanted to live forever. But, this is selfish, and I refused to take him back to a time in his life where he might have been able to achieve this. Word has spread that I refuse the selfish desires of man, so some come to me with similar stories. Loved ones that they want to save. And every time it is a lie…"

Suddenly, Azuna grabbed Sasuke's arm, sending a jolt of chakra into it. Sasuke tried to pull his arm away, but Azuna had a death grip on it.

"Luckily for me, I am able to read the innermost desires of man. So I can see right through you, and your lies." Azuna smirked.

A moment passed, as Sasuke stood as still as possible. He knew that he wasn't lying, but what if Azuna thought that he was? He DID want to save his brother, but he also wanted Itachi to be with him. He held his breath, watching Azuna's face as it faded from a smirk to sadness. After a moment, she gently released Sasuke's arm. She hovered away from Sasuke, a look of sadness on her face. Finally she looked up at Sasuke.

"Your brother must have suffered so much."

The words shocked and hurt Sasuke. He felt his chest tighten at the thought of his brother being unhappy, or suffering. He felt tears sting his eyes, and he tried with all of his might to force them away, but to no avail. They spilled from his eyes and before he knew it, he was choking back sobs. Azuna did nothing but watch as Sasuke fell apart in front of her.

"I just wish… I wish I had known. I wish that I could have done something for him…" Sasuke sobbed, covering his face in his hands and letting his body shudder.

Azuna reached out and gently touched his arm.

"Where would you like me to take you?"

Sasuke blinked, and tried to wipe the snot and tears away from his face.

"You will take me back?"

"I'll take you back." She said simply.


	5. Chapter 5

Horribly short, I know. But, I wanted to post SOMETHING so people wouldn't think that I have given up on this story. I was trying to make this short, but I'm pretty sure it will be long. I will try to update within the week. Maybe even later on this evening. WHO KNOWS.

* * *

Sasuke dropped to his knees, suddenly so overcome with emotion that he couldn't stand. He wrapped his arms around his torso, trying to calm his racing heart. Azuna was patient, watching as the man before her fought so desperately to contain his emotions.

"Sasuke, where would you like me to take you?" Azuna said, almost robotically.

Sasuke stared at the ground. He hadn't thought this far ahead. When did the coup first form? Was he alive? Was Itachi. He looked up at Azuna, eyes filled with desperation. Azuna seemed taken aback by him. She had never seen such a broken person.

Sasuke tried to think when would be the best time to change everything. He had no idea when the coup formed, but he knew that the village had turned their hungry eyes to his brother when he was a child. The village urged Itachi to join the academy when he was so small. He was only five. It was right after the Nine Tails attack. The village claimed that Itachi acted like a true ninja, even at such a young age. Perhaps he could save Itachi from the village's hungry eyes then? It was worth a shot.

"When Itachi was five." Sasuke choked out, surprised at how small his voice was.

Azuna said nothing, but lifted her now glowing hands. Her milky eyes were completely white and suddenly it grew very bright. Sasuke shield his eyes, and felt Azuna grab hold of him.

"This will hurt." She said simply.

Suddenly, they were jolting forward. And Azuna was right, it did hurt. Sasuke gritted his teeth as it felt like his body was being torn in two. After a moment, the feeling that he was being torn in two was replaced with fire. It was painful. Sasuke kept his eyes closed, but opened his mouth to voice his agony. Azuna remained calm, her hand firmly on Sasuke's arm.

After what felt like an eternity, Sasuke felt the fire pass and his body was left weak and shaking. He was aware that they were no longer moving, but he was so exhausted that he couldn't even open his eyes. Azuna's hand was still wrapped around his arm. Sasuke tried to speak, but felt Azuna place her hand over his mouth.

"No need to waste energy speaking. Surprisingly, you didn't pass out. But, you will be considerably weaker. For a while."

Sasuke frowned mentally. Weaker? He had to protect his brother, how was this going to be helpful? Sasuke was barely awake as his mind began to wonder how he would protect Itachi. After a moment, he felt himself slip into unconsciousness.

* * *

When Sasuke woke, he sat up and realized he was in the same forest as before. His body ached and trembled from weakness. Sasuke tried to get to his feet, but felt too drained to do so.

"You humans are hilarious." Azuna laughed suddenly.

Sasuke looked up to see the plump woman standing not too far from him.

"I am not staying, Sasuke. This is your mission. If you need me again, you know how to find me." Azuna reached into a sack she carried and tossed a scroll at Sasuke. Sasuke couldn't catch it, but rolled it closer to himself where he opened it. It was the same scroll that had led him to Azuna. He looked up to say something to her, to thank her, but she was gone.


	6. Chapter 6

Told you I would update quickly! I am building, which is something I do a lot. This will be a long story, sorry. I think Sasuke will finally be reunited with Itachi next chapter! ENJOY.

* * *

Sasuke took the day to recover. He was surprisingly much weaker than he had anticipated. His arms trembled and he had yet gotten to his feet, for fear that his trembling legs wouldn't hold him. He was well sheltered from other people and from the elements under the tree he had woken up by. At first he wondered if he had really been taken back, everything seemed so dense and untouched like it had been when he first met Azuna. But, as time crawled by, Sasuke's strength slowly returned. The moment he felt his legs were sturdy enough to hold him, he got to his feet.

The tree that he had been resting by was located on a hill. Once Sasuke got to his legs, he clutched the tree to steady himself. He looked out and was taken aback by what he saw. From his vantage point, he could see the village, and the destruction that the Nine Tails had caused. Though the damage was great, he could see some construction underway. It had been some time since the attack. Sasuke then looked toward the Uchiha compound, surprised to see that it wasn't there. He frowned slightly. How could his home not be there? Yet, in its place it looked like some construction had taken place. There were the skeletons of buildings surrounded by a half built wall. Had his home suffered the same damage that the village had?

Sasuke tried to move, but he was too weak. He let his body flop to the ground, and sleep over take him.

* * *

When Sasuke woke, he was stiff, but much stronger than before. He sat up, breathing hard. His body had taken a toll, but he was strong enough to move around. He got to his legs and began his dissent towards the village.

Sasuke wondered if he should feel something. He saw the village and its horrific damage, but he felt no sadness. He saw the people, happily rebuilding their village, and was filled with anger. He couldn't help but hate these people; they were the ones who would smile as the pushed his brother into harm's way. Just so they continue to live in their bull shit. Sasuke gritted his teeth upon entering the village, hoping no one stopped him.

Sasuke was very wrong.

The villagers all took notice in him. They paused in what they were doing to stare. Sasuke suddenly began to get nervous. He was still wearing his black travel cape, and had his katana sword strapped to his back. What if guards were notified? He was half surprised he was able to enter the village so easily.

And like clockwork, a couple of armed guards approached him.

"Where are you headed?" One man with long brown hair, lazily tucked into a bun asked.

Sasuke's mind went blank. He should have known better than to just waltz into the village. He was unfamiliar, and therefore a threat.

"Well?" Asked another man with a shave head and piercing green eyes.

"I'm just a wander." Sasuke said simply.

The two men exchanged looks.

"Do you mind letting us search you?" The green-eyed man asked, as the brunette grabbed Sasuke and began searching him.

Sasuke raised his arms up, knowing he had nothing to hide. That is, until the man pulled from his cloak his headband. Sasuke broke out into a cold sweat.

The men looked confused.

"Where did you get this?" The brunette asked.

Sasuke gulped.

"It's mine." He almost whispered.

The green-eyed man grabbed Sasuke roughly.

"I think you should speak to the Hokage."

Sasuke didn't resist as the men brought him to the Hokage. The only thing Sasuke could think about was how to explain who he was without truly explaining WHO he was.

The Third was much younger, and it almost caused Sasuke to gasp out loud once he was presented to him.

"Lord, this man… He has one of our headbands… He is a stranger to this village though."

The green-eyed man said, bowing graciously.

The Third looked at Sasuke with such a look that it caused Sasuke to shiver.

"Is that so?" The Third hummed, taking a puff from his pipe.

"Yes, he was found wandering through the village." The brunette said, also bowing.

The Third never took his eyes off of Sasuke, he simply waved his hand, and the two men disappeared.

"What is your name?" He finally asked.

Sasuke desperately tried to think of a name.

"Yuki!" He finally yelped.

"Yuki? Yuki what?"

Sasuke shook his head.

"No last name? Where are you from, Yuki?"

"Here."

"The Village Hidden in the Leaves?"

"Yes."

The Third sat at his desk, eyeing Sasuke.

"I'm a runaway." Sasuke finally stated.

The Third's expression never changed.

"Oh, is that right?"

"Yes. I ran away… A long time ago."

The story wasn't too wild. Some kids would run away, especially if they felt the pressures of becoming a ninja. He hoped that the Third would accept this answer. The Third's face never shifted. Sasuke took a shaky breath.

"I heard about the Nine Tails attack, and… and I thought I would come back. But, I found that my family was dead. So, I am here all for not." Sasuke lied.

The Third finally reacted to this. His face twisted into a pained smile.

"Fortunately, the Fourth was able to protect many villagers, but we did lose so many. I am sorry for your loss."

Sasuke nodded, trying to look as sad as possible.

"Well, Yuki," The Third stated, sitting back in his seat. "You are more than welcome to come back to the village, but I am curious, where have you been?"

"Traveling." Sasuke said, praying that would be enough. But the Third continued to look at him.

"When I was a child, I never understood the need to fight. But, my parents told me that in order to protect what was dear to me; I would need to be strong, for the world is filled with evil. I refused to accept this, and as soon as I graduated the academy, I ran away, to see this world for myself."

The life felt so easy once Sasuke started, and when he finished, the Third looked sullen and more importantly convinced.

"The world has certainly changed, but it isn't all bad."

Sasuke stayed silent, thinking about what evil this man was about to let unfold.

The room was silent after a moment. The two men just staring at each other, looking slightly uneasy. After a moment, the Third smiled.

"Welcome home."

Sasuke nodded, reacting the way he hoped would be appropriate.

The Third let Sasuke leave. Once Sasuke was out of sight, the two guards appeared looking uneasy.

"Who was he?" The green-eyed man asked.

"A runaway from a long time ago."

The two men looked at each other, skeptically.

"Just keep an eye on him. But, I think he is harmless." The Third said, retiring to his desk.

The two men bowed deeply before departing. As the exited the Hokage's office the glanced at each other.

"Do you think the Hokage is right?" The brunette asked.

"I don't want to take a chance. The village is weak. The old-man means well, but he is too trusting. We must inform Danzo."


	7. Chapter 7

Hi all! An update for you all! Again, I got some lovely reviews about my story. &amp; I thought that I would share. Now, there were three seperate reviews, but because of the poor spelling &amp; the general lack of sense, I am going to assume that they are all from the same person.

"sarahmint,sleeping with someone a few times doesnot always mean you may have done it with her afew times so what!HE DIDNT MARRY HER DID HE?GROW UP!you know you can hate someone and still be mature on it."

"so now you can write naruto better than the creator !im sure you are a talented writer so why dont you write you own story with your perfect chracters and leave kishis characters fantastic readers and reviewers will apprecicte it. sasuke very much loves his wife i assure over your pathetic really unbecoming."

"your story is do you have to insult sakura to write a good story?and you call her shallow.i really dont get the way some of you think or write."

All from a guest, who was too shy to actually log in and share their opinion. Yay for hiding behind a computer! ANYWAYYYYYY, apparently Sakura lovers hate my story? I can't warn you enough, this is NOT a pro sasusaku sotry. This is an ANTI sasusaku story. But, it isn't even really that. It is a SASUITA story. Like, if you love sasusaku, read sasusaku. Don't go looking for stories not about your couple. I only post these reviews because, to me, it is a big joke. I find this funny. Please, keep reading my story. I mean, it is great. LOL.

To those who read for the SASUITA, please enjoy. :)

* * *

Danzo sat quietly as the men before him spoke. They told Danzo about the mysterious stranger who had shown up, claiming to be a run away. The story was Ludacris, but that damn Third would never realize this. Danzo sighed, looking out the window. He was angry. Those damn Uchiha had started this mess. With their sharingan, they were the only ones who could have possibly summoned and controlled the Nine Tails. Danzo couldn't help but notice that the Uchiha didn't lose a single person in the attack. Because of this, and the fear that it may happen again, the Uchiha were asked to move from their current residence safe within the walls of the village, to the outskirts. Construction of their new home had begun, but the Uchiha were clearly unhappy. Their unhappiness had begun to show, and citizens of the village had expressed their concern that the Uchiha may be behind the attack of the Nine Tails.

Danzo hated the Uchiha.

And it had nothing to do with the Nine Tails attack. Simply, they were a clan filled of over-powered, arrogant ninja, who took way too much pride in their eyes. Danzo frowned thinking of the discussion he had had with the Third and Fugaku, the head of the Uchiha clan.

* * *

_"After this devestation, and to help calm the village, we think it would be best if the Uchiha clan relocated." The Third said softly, eyes downcast._

_Fugaku stared angrily at the Third._

_"You expect me to move my entire family just to make these… people… feel better?" Fugaku hissed, arms crossed._

_The Third sighed, causing Danzo to roll his eyes. _

_"You're people can control the beast. You expect me to believe that you didn't have a thing to do with this?" Danzo asked._

_Fugaku growled, eyes flashing red. Danzo merely laughed._

_"Look at how pathetic you people are. Any emotion, and those stupid eyes come out."_

_"I'll show you stupid eyes." Fugaku hissed, narrowing his eyes._

_"Enough." The Third demanded._

_Sarutobi sighed. He was still shaken up from the events that had unfolded. He had retired from Hokage. Stepped down, because he believed that those who were younger could change the world. But, Minato had died protecting his son, and his village. And Sarutobi was forced to take his place as Hokage again. He looked at Danzo, the man always picking fights. Then he looked at Fugaku. There had been murmurs that the Uchiha were unhappy, and he was sure that this wouldn't help with that._

_"Fugaku-san, we are more than willing to pay for your relocation. This is only temporary. The Nine Tail's attack left the village weak, and afraid. The Uchiha clan is a symbol of strength, but even you can't deny that the sharingan has the ability to control the Nine Tails. I am not suggesting that this is true. But, the villagers are scared. And fear is not logical."_

_Fugaku's eyes returned to their deep black, and he seemed to relax a bit. He remained quiet as his eyes traveled from Sarutobi to Danzo. _

_"Understood, Hokage-sama."_

* * *

Danzo knew that there was no understanding. That clan. That damn clan. Danzo knew they were a bunch a traitors, and what was worse was the fact that the head family's eldest son, Uchiha Itachi, was turning out to be some sort of genius. In fact, the Third had just recommended that the boy join the academy. At the age of five. It was a joke. And as if that wasn't enough to make Danzo stressed, this new man in the village required his attention. Danzo sighed.

"Like the Third said, keeps your eyes on him."

* * *

Sasuke didn't realize how truly hungry he was until he had gotten outside. He figured that he would stop by a long time favorite place of his to grab something to eat. He walked the familiar route to the dango shop located across from the academy. Just like when he was a kid, the shop was busy. People often stopped on their way home from work or school to watch as the kids practiced in the practice yard which faced the dango shop. Luckily, Sasuke found a table located outside, and closest to the training yard. He took his seat, ordered a large plate of dango and a cup of tea and just sat, looking out into the yard that he spent much of his time as a kid.

All the kids were clumsily throwing kunai, or sparring with each other. But, there was one kid who moved like a pro. He tossed his kunai with such ease. Sasuke wasn't the only o0ne to notice, people around him started speaking in hushed tones, marveling the child as he worked.

"Wow, he is amazing." One said.

"He must be a prodigy or something." Another whispered.

"That's that Uchiha kid, I bet."

Sasuke froze. He strained his eyes, begging for the child to face him. But the child had his back turn to him. Could this be Itachi? Sasuke frowned. Suddenly the child faltered, ever so slightly in his footing and tumbled to the ground. The crowed that had been watching the boy all let out a small gasp. Sasuke got to his feet, instinctively. Suddenly, a man was rushing towards the boy. Sasuke was confused as he watched as the man reached the boy, yanking him to his feet. It took Sasuke a moment, but suddenly he recognized the man as Danzo. Sasuke felt rage boil in his stomach. Without even thinking, he started towards the two.

"Itachi, how do you expect to make the academy with that kind of foot work?" Danzo hissed, roughly letting go of Itachi's thin arm.

Itachi's face was covered in dust, and both of his knees were scabbed up. His shoulder long hair was shiny, but filled with pine needles. His eyes were downcast, and his body totally erect.

"Yes, sir." Itachi said in such a small voice.

Danzo looked annoyed.

"The Third praises you on your ability as a ninja, but I have yet to see this skill. Don't you want to make your family proud?" Danzo asked.

Itachi tried to stand even straighter and nodded. Danzo just sighed and shook his head.

"What's going on here?" Sasuke asked, suddenly on both of them.

Itachi looked up with curious eyes, along with Danzo who seemed taken aback.

"Excuse me?" Danzo hissed, turning to face Sasuke.

"He's just a child. Where do you get off yelling at him?" Sasuke growled.

Itachi's face melted into a look of total confusion. Danzo's eyes narrowed.

"Who are you?"

"Doesn't matter."

Danzo looked unimpressed when another person suddenly appeared.

"Danzo-sama, what have I told you about speaking to Itachi like that?"

Sasuke turned to look over his shoulder, taken aback to see his mother. Mikoto advanced on the group, quickly moving so that she was between Itachi and Danzo. Danzo looked between Sasuke and Mikoto.

"Do you… know each other?"

Mikoto hardly glanced and Sasuke before she turned her attention back to Danzo.

"Leave Itachi alone." She said sternly.

Sasuke could only stare at his mother as Danzo turned away from them. She was a vision. Mikoto had been known as one of the most beautiful Uchiha. Her long, glossy hair reached her lower back. Her round eyes were framed by thick, black eye lashes. Inky bangs framed her face, and just the slighted tinge of pink gave life to her pale face. Mikoto had still yet to fully look at Sasuke. She turned her attention to Itachi, gently scooping the boy into her arms. A look of concern crossed her face as she examined the boy's knees.

"Thank you." She finally said, turning to face Sasuke.

Sasuke smiled and bowed.

"I just couldn't watch some man yell at a child like that."

Mikoto stared at Sasuke. Something about him… She nodded absent mindedly.

"Danzo-sama…" She paused, thinking better.

"I appreciate you helping out my son. But, I must be going. Thank you… uh?"

"Yuki." Sasuke stumbled.

The name struck Mikoto as strange. She stared at Sasuke for a moment longer before turning and leaving. Sasuke stood in her wake, making eye contact with Itachi for the first time. His brother stared at Sasuke with such a sad look, that Sasuke felt the wind being sucked from his lungs. He was motionless until he saw Itachi's small hand raise and wave at him.

Sasuke gently waved back.


End file.
